The Past, the Future and Today
by Athena Goddess of the Wise
Summary: "The past is history, the future is a mystery, but today is a gift; thet's why they call it the present."  Anounoumous
1. The Past

**My first fanfic! I hope everyone enjoys!**

"Are you ready to land?" Artemis Sharp asked his daughter, Deryn. "No." Deryn answered, "But I don't think I ever will be." Her father smiled and began to lower the balloon. As the balloon began to lower, the flame began to increase. "Da!" Deryn asked, "If we are going down, why is the flame going up?" But she did not need her father's answer because she already knew. The hot air balloon was going up in flames. "Barking spiders." she whispered. There was nothing they could do. They had only enough water to drink, and no other way of putting out the flame. Deryn's father turned to her.

"Deryn," he said, "I love you."

"No.."

"I love your mother and your brother."

"Da, what are you doing."

"Good-bye."

And then he pushed her out of the balloon. She screamed the whole way down. But not because of the drop. She screamed because of what she fell off of, and what she left behind. She screamed because she knew that if her father hadn't saved her, he could have saved himself.

She broke a few bones upon impact. It didn't matter. Broken bones could heal, but she would never see her father again.

**I know it isn't great, but I would love reviews!**


	2. Is History

"Father, why do I have to learn about all these dead emperors?" Alek asked his father. "Because, you learn from there mistakes." his father answered. "But it is not like I would ever do any of the things they do." Alek retorted. "Yes, but you could do something worse, couldn't you? Like rule badly, or get yourself killed. Or start a war." His father said, "Now sit down and study." Alek sighed and sat down. None of what his father said would happen, so why was history so important?


	3. The Future

"_Alek, I need to tell you something." Deryn said. "Mmm-hmm." Alek replied. "Alek, this is important." Deryn said. Alek looked up from the machine. "What, Dylan?" he asked. "Alek," Deryn swallowed, "I'm a girl." Alek looked at her. Then he burst out laughing. "Good one, Dylan." "This isn't a joke! And my name is Deryn." she yelled. "You mean…" And then the look on his face changed and he stared at her with disgust. "Why? Why would you do it? Why wouldn't you tell me sooner?" "I tried. I really did. But someone always interrupted me. Or I was afraid you would hate me" Deryn said. "Well you're right about one thing, _Deryn_." he spat out her name, "I do hate you." And then he walked away, Deryn's heart breaking with every step._

She was over him. The bum-rag meant nothing to her. After she told him, he avoided her, and when he war was over, went back to Austria with out a backwards glance. _Dummkopf_.And she didn't care. She didn't care. But then why every time she saw a picture of him did her heart feel heavy, and every time she heard his name did she want to cry? And why when the newspapers announced his marriage did her heart break all over again?


	4. Is a Mystery

"It's amazing you were never found out." Alek told Deryn. "What's amazing is the fact that you survived the war, with all those times you got shot." Alek pretended to look hurt. "So-rry." Deryn said in a sing-song voice, and then she kissed him. "I wonder what will happen now?" Alek asked. "I'll probably go home, and be killed by Ma." "Or…" Alek trailed. "Or what?" she asked. "Or… Deryn Sharp," he said going down on one knee, "will you…marry me?" Deryn stood there. "Deryn…" _Dummkopf!_ He said to himself. "_Dummkopf!_" Deryn cried, throwing herself into Alek's arms, "Of course I'll marry you." Alek smiled and kissed her. "I wonder what will happen now?" Deryn asked, smiling. "Who knows?" Alek replied, "It's a mystery. But whatever happens, I love you." "And I love you, too."


	5. But Today

She'd tell him today. Because whether he took it well, or whether he hated her, he deserved to know. She walked to the engine room, where she knew he would be. "Alek, I need to tell you something."

**Wow. This is so short it should be illegal. Sorry****L**


	6. Is a Gift

"Alek, I need to tell you something." Dylan said. "Mmm-hmm." Alek replied. "Alek, this is important." Dylan said. Alek looked up from the machine. "What, Dylan?" he asked. "Alek," Dylan swallowed, "I'm a girl." Alek looked at her. Then he burst out laughing. "Good one, Dylan." "This isn't a joke! And my name is Deryn." he yelled. "You mean…" and it hit him. The high voice, the privacy… _Mr._ Sharp. He stared at her. "Why? Why would you do it? Why wouldn't you tell me sooner?" "I tried. I really did. But someone always interrupted me. Or I was afraid you would hate me." he-_she_ looked afraid now. "I'm not mad, _Deryn_." Alek said, her name felling odd, "I just wish you had told me sooner." Deryn nodded. "I'm sorry Alek." And although she looked sad, she also looked happy. "I'm glad you finally know." And then she kissed him.

She kissed him. Promptly before running away. _Stupid, stupid, stupid!_ How could she kiss a prince? And now he'd hate her. _Dummkopf_. How could she be so stupid?

Deryn Sharp, his best friend, had kissed him. And he didn't mind. In fact, it felt good.

Deryn spent the rest of the week avoiding Alek, which was hard on a ship, even as large as the _Leviathan_. She did a good job, until the end of the week. At the end of the week, she walked into her room, and saw Alek sitting on her bed. "Wha-!" Deryn cried. "Deryn," Alek said, "We need to talk."

**Haha! I wonder what will happen next? CLIFF HANGA!**


	7. That's Why They Call It

**Be warned: This chapter contains major fluff!**

"I'm sorry, Alek." Deryn said. "You can hate me. Just please, please don't

tell anyone." "Why would I hate you?" Alek said. "Because, I, well… Blisters Alek! I kissed you!" she exclaimed. "Yes. Yes you did." and then

he leaned over and kissed her.

The next few days passed in a blur. Telling Alek had lifted an enormous

weight of off her chest. The only problem was Volger. They did not tell

him that Alek knew. And so he acted like a clever-boots, dropping hints

here and there. It was enough to make Deryn want to push him over board.

One day when she brought him his linch het told her, "Alek's birthday is

only-exactly-a month away. I wonder, would your secret be a suitable

present?" _Stupid Count. Probably just wants Alek mad at me. _She smiled

at him, "Hmmm. Yes, I suppose that might be a barking good present."

**Please review!**


	8. The Present

**My last chapter in this fanfic!**

"Happy Birthday, Alek!" Deryn yelled when Alek walked into her room. "What? Ho-How did you know?" he was confused. Deryn smiled "A barking Count told me!" She kissed him. "Why?" Alek asked.

"He wanted me to tell you…thought it would be a good present." Alek smiled. "Unfortunately for the count, you already know. So I had to go and get you something else."

"And what might that be?"

"These." Deryn held out the three things she'd spent a month working on.

"Drawings?" Alek flipped through them. "These are amazing!" Each of the drawing showed the Alek; One was of them Alek and Deryn fencing, Alek in his silly armor, she in her middy's outfit. The next was of the machine room, grease smudging Alek's face. And the last was of them just sitting, looking out at the ocean. Alek hugged her.

"Thank you."

Alek thought his first birthday with his parents gone would be harder than this. When he walked into Deryn's room he hadn't expected her to know. He wasn't even planning on telling her. But her knowing made it easier. He didn't have to explain why he cried.

When she took Count Volger his meal, he asked her, "How did Alek's birthday go? More importantly, does he know?" She just smiled.

Alek was fencing with Count Volger. "How was your birthday?" Volger asked. Alek smiled, "Much better than I expected."

"I trust Dylan gave you something?"

"Yes, he did. Supposedly thanks to you."

"Ah. And what was his gift?"

"Drawings."

"Oh. Alek, there is something you need to know.''

"And what might that be?"

"Your little friend…he's a girl."

"Yes. Deryn is a girl."

"Dylan, it is time to walk Tazza!"

"Yes, Dr. Barlow."

"wait, before you go…"

"Yes?"

"I trust Alek knows?"

"Knows what?"

"Why, your little secret, of course."

"Volger told me!"

"Barlow knew!"

They said on top of each other. "What?" Deryn asked.

"Volger told me you were a girl. And then I told him I already knew. Now what about you?" "Dr. Barlow already knows. I went to walk Tazza, and she asked if you knew." Alek laughed. "Then I guess you're secret is out. But I don't think they will tell."

"Volger might."

"I won't let him."

"Thanks." she said, remembering when she had found out his secret. "For what?" Alek asked. Deryn smiled. "For knowing who I am."

**I always thought Dr. Barlow would know. 'Is a mystery' is supposed to be the end to this fic, and 'The Future' is supposed to be a what if things went bad. If you notice, the titles of the chapters are a pattern! And I **_**tried **_**to tie the name to the chapter somehow, though not always well or in a way someone would notice. **

**Also, to Music Antoinette: Thank you! Thank you so, so much!**


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